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Sake South Korea Market Overview 2026

Sub Product
Daiginjo Sake, Ginjo Sake, Honjozo Sake, Junmai Sake
HS Code
220600
Last Updated
2026-05-26
Key takeaways for search and sourcing teams
  • South Korea Sake market intelligence page includes 0 premium suppliers & manufacturers.
  • 5 sampled export transactions for South Korea are summarized.
  • 43 export partner companies (including manufacturers) and 18 import partner companies are mapped for Sake in South Korea.
  • Wholesale sample entries: 0; farmgate sample entries: 0.
  • 5 export partner countries and 5 import partner countries are ranked.
  • Latest reference year in this page dataset is 2024.
  • Page data last updated on 2026-05-26.

Sake Export Supplier & Manufacturer Intelligence, Price Trends, and Trade Flows in South Korea

43 export partner companies are tracked for Sake in South Korea. Use Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to validate exporter coverage, partner quality, and route priorities.
Explore Sake export intelligence in South Korea, including 5 sampled supplier transactions, monthly unit-price ranges, and partner-country trade flow patterns for HS Code 220600.
Scatter points are sampled from 72.3% of the full transaction dataset.

Sample Export Supplier & Manufacturer Transaction Records for Sake in South Korea

5 sampled Sake transactions in South Korea include date, origin, and partner-country context to benchmark export prices and supplier trading patterns.
Sake sampled transaction unit prices by date in South Korea: 2026-02-12: 1.13 USD / kg, 2026-02-04: 1.44 USD / kg, 2026-02-04: 1.44 USD / kg, 2026-02-03: 1.12 USD / kg, 2026-02-03: 1.57 USD / kg.
DateReported ProductUnit PriceExporterImporter 
2026-02-12"KO********** ***** *********** ***** ****** ***** **** **** **** * ** ******* ******* *** ******* ******* ** ********* ***** ****** ********* **** **** * ** ******* ******* ***** ******* * ***** ******** *** ****** ***** ** ****** *** *1.13 USD / kg (South Korea) (United States)
2026-02-04SEJ* ***** ****** **** **** *** * ** ******* *** *** ***** ******* ********* *** ***** ********* ***** ** **** ***** **** **** *** * ** ******* *** *** *** ******* ******1.44 USD / kg (South Korea) (United States)
2026-02-04SEJ* ***** ****** **** **** *** * ** ******* *** *** ***** ******* ********* *** **** ********* ************ ***** ****** **** **** *** * ** ** ***** *** *** ***** ***** * ******1.44 USD / kg (South Korea) (United States)
2026-02-03"KO********** ***** *********** ***** ****** ***** **** **** **** * ** ******* ******* *** ******* * ***** ******** *** ***** ** ****** *1.12 USD / kg (South Korea) (United States)
2026-02-03KOO********* ***** ********* ***** ****** ***** **** **** *** * ** ******* *** *** *** ******* ***** ******** ** ******1.57 USD / kg (South Korea) (United States)

Top Sake Export Suppliers, Manufacturers, and Companies in South Korea

Review leading exporter profiles and benchmark them against 43 total export partner companies tracked for Sake in South Korea. Use Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to shortlist sourcing and export partners faster.
(South Korea)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-04-26
Employee Size: 11 - 50 Employees
Sales Revenue: USD 1M - 5M
Industries: Alcohol WholesalersBeverage ManufacturingBrokers And Trade Agencies
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / WholesaleTrade
(South Korea)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-04-26
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / WholesaleTrade
(South Korea)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-04-26
Industries: Beverage Manufacturing
Value Chain Roles: Trade
(South Korea)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-04-26
Industries: Alcohol WholesalersBeverage ManufacturingFood Manufacturing
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / WholesaleTrade
(South Korea)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-04-26
Industries: Beverage ManufacturingFood ManufacturingFood Wholesalers
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / Wholesale
(South Korea)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-04-26
Industries: Beverage ManufacturingFood ManufacturingFood Services And Drinking Places
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / WholesaleTrade
South Korea Export Partner Coverage
43 companies
Total export partner company count is a core signal of South Korea export network depth for Sake.
Exporters and importers can open Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to assess Sake partner concentration, capacity signals, and trade relevance in South Korea.

Annual Export Value, Volume, and Supplier Market Size for Sake in South Korea (HS Code 220600)

Analyze 3 years of Sake export volume and value in South Korea to evaluate supplier market growth, seasonality, and trade volatility.
YearVolumeValue
202447,853,70144,844,433 USD
202357,426,86251,396,982 USD
202258,417,11249,500,161 USD

Top Destination Markets for Sake Exports from South Korea (HS Code 220600) in 2024

For 2024, compare export volume and value across the top 5 destination countries for Sake exports from South Korea.
RankCountryVolumeValue
1Japan34,311,00024,360,743 USD
2United States5,274,9198,586,839 USD
3China2,018,956.32,436,260 USD
4Australia1,600,584.72,362,901 USD
5Vietnam611,423.4788,604 USD

Sake Import Buyer Intelligence and Price Signals in South Korea: Buyers, Demand, and Trade Partners

18 import partner companies are tracked for Sake in South Korea. Exporters and importers can use Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to analyze buyer demand, partner density, and downstream channels.
Scatter points are sampled from 1.3% of the full transaction dataset.

Sample Import Transaction and Price Records for Sake in South Korea

5 sampled Sake import transactions in South Korea provide date, origin, and trade-country context to benchmark price levels and demand-side trading patterns.
Sake sampled import transaction unit prices by date in South Korea: 2026-05-18: 11.46 USD / kg, 2026-05-12: 9.48 USD / kg, 2026-05-11: 12.64 USD / kg, 2026-05-04: 3.67 USD / kg, 2026-05-04: 23.08 USD / kg.
DateReported ProductUnit PriceExporterImporterOrigin 
2026-05-18[청주* ** *** ************* ****** ****** *****11.46 USD / kg (-) (-)-
2026-05-12[청주* ** *** *** **** ***************** ****** ****** **** ****** ******9.48 USD / kg (-) (-)-
2026-05-11[청주* **** *** **** ************** ****** ******** ******12.64 USD / kg (-) (-)-
2026-05-04[청주* *** ********************* ******* ********** ******3.67 USD / kg (-) (-)-
2026-05-04[청주* **** *************** ********23.08 USD / kg (-) (-)-

Top Sake Buyers, Importers, and Demand Partners in South Korea

Review leading buyer profiles and compare them with 18 total import partner companies tracked for Sake in South Korea. Exporters and importers can use Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to evaluate demand-side partner fit.
(South Korea)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-26
Industries: Beverage ManufacturingFood Manufacturing
Value Chain Roles: Food ManufacturingTrade
(South Korea)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-26
Employee Size: Over 1000 Employees
Sales Revenue: USD Over 1B
Industries: Alcohol WholesalersAlcoholic Beverage ManufacturingBeverage Manufacturing
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / WholesaleFood ManufacturingTrade
(South Korea)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-26
Employee Size: 51 - 100 Employees
Industries: Beverage Manufacturing
Value Chain Roles: Food Manufacturing
(South Korea)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-26
Industries: Beverage ManufacturingFood ManufacturingFood Packaging
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / WholesaleFood Manufacturing
(South Korea)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-26
Employee Size: Over 1000 Employees
Sales Revenue: USD 50M - 100M
Industries: Beverage ManufacturingFood Manufacturing
Value Chain Roles: Distribution / WholesaleFood Manufacturing
(South Korea)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-04-26
Employee Size: 101 - 500 Employees
Sales Revenue: USD 50M - 100M
Industries: Beverage ManufacturingOthers
Value Chain Roles: Food Manufacturing
South Korea Import Partner Coverage
18 companies
Import partner company count highlights demand-side visibility for Sake in South Korea.
Use Supply Chain Intelligence analytics and company profiles to identify active Sake importers, distributors, and buyer networks in South Korea.

Annual Import Value, Volume, and Demand Size for Sake in South Korea (HS Code 220600)

Track 3 years of Sake import volume and value in South Korea to assess demand growth and market momentum.
YearVolumeValue
202422,391,83551,391,916 USD
202320,624,99046,647,350 USD
202229,925,61651,260,476 USD

Top Origin Supplier Countries Supplying Sake to South Korea (HS Code 220600) in 2024

For 2024, compare import volume and value across the top 5 origin supplier countries supplying Sake to South Korea.
RankCountryVolumeValue
1Japan5,393,38129,349,843 USD
2Denmark7,734,927.29,258,979 USD
3United States546,030.353,563,306 USD
4China1,673,7161,817,856 USD
5Austria1,659,853.91,498,203 USD

Classification

Product TypeProcessed Food
Product FormBottled (Liquid)
Industry PositionFinished Alcoholic Beverage Product

Market

Sake in South Korea (KR) is primarily an imported Japanese rice-based alcoholic beverage sold through importer–distributor channels into both retail and on-trade. Market demand and brand availability can be volatile during Korea–Japan political disputes, with precedent for abrupt consumer boycotts affecting Japanese-origin alcoholic beverages. Import market access depends on meeting Korea’s alcohol import licensing/tax requirements and MFDS imported-food safety and labeling rules. Korean label compliance and date/lot traceability practices are operationally important because noncompliance can trigger relabeling, delays, or rejection at the border.
Market RoleImport-dependent consumer market (net importer)
Domestic RoleNiche imported alcoholic beverage category within the broader Korean alcohol market, positioned via modern retail and Japanese-dining channels

Specification

Physical Attributes
  • Alcohol by volume (ABV) declared on label (producer-dependent)
  • Clarity and filtration style (clear vs. nigori/unfiltered) affects appearance and sediment expectations
  • Sparkling variants exist as a distinct sub-style (carbonated; SKU-dependent)
Compositional Metrics
  • Ingredients commonly include rice, rice koji, and water; some styles include added brewing alcohol (producer-dependent)
  • Japanese brewing parameters sometimes referenced in marketing/specification (e.g., polishing ratio/seimai-buai; producer-dependent disclosure)
Grades
  • Tokutei meisho-shu style grades (e.g., Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo, Honjozo) (Japan-origin labeling conventions)
Packaging
  • Glass bottles with importer-applied Korean back-label where applicable
  • Korean labeling/date coding practices are critical for recall readiness (lot/bottling identifiers and required date marking as applicable)

Supply Chain

Value Chain
  • Japanese brewery → exporter → sea freight to KR → bonded handling/importer warehousing → MFDS import procedures/inspection as applicable → customs clearance and tax settlement → distributor → retail/on-trade
Temperature
  • Quality is sensitive to heat and light exposure; cool, dark storage is commonly recommended by Japanese industry sources
  • Unpasteurized or freshness-positioned styles (e.g., nama-type products) increase temperature-control importance (SKU-dependent)
Shelf Life
  • Inventory rotation is operationally important because Korean market rules can require date marking for sake and because sensory quality can deteriorate with improper storage
Freight IntensityMedium
Transport ModeSea

Risks

Regulatory Compliance HighImporting sake into KR can be blocked if the importer lacks the required liquor import business license and/or fails MFDS imported-food safety prerequisites such as importer and overseas manufacturing facility registration (where applicable), leading to denial, detention, or prolonged delay at entry.Confirm importer licensing status and MFDS registration status before contracting shipments; align product/label dossiers to MFDS requirements and maintain a pre-shipment compliance checklist.
Geopolitical MediumKorea–Japan political disputes can trigger consumer boycotts and retailer de-emphasis of Japanese-origin goods, with documented precedent of sharp declines in Japanese alcohol imports during boycott periods—creating abrupt volume and inventory risk for sake.Use conservative inventory and flexible promotions; diversify the Japan portfolio across price tiers and channels; maintain contingency plans for rapid demand drops.
Labeling MediumKorean labeling/date-marking noncompliance (including required particulars and category-specific date rules for sake) can result in relabeling, sales restrictions, or customs/MFDS delay.Pre-validate Korean back-label templates; ensure lot/date coding aligns with MFDS standards and importer traceability systems.
Logistics MediumBottled sake is vulnerable to heat/light exposure and glass breakage; freight-rate volatility and handling damage can raise landed cost and reduce sellable yield.Specify protective secondary packaging and palletization; control storage conditions (cool/dark), especially for freshness-sensitive SKUs; contract damage/temperature accountability with forwarders.
Sustainability
  • Packaging waste compliance risk (glass bottles and secondary packaging) under Korea’s EPR/recycling obligations for obligated businesses/importers (company-specific applicability)
Labor & Social
  • Korea–Japan political tensions and consumer boycotts of Japanese products can create abrupt demand shocks and reputational risk for Japanese-origin alcoholic beverages

FAQ

What is the typical HS heading used to classify sake for trade into South Korea?Sake is commonly classified under HS heading 2206 (other fermented beverages, including sake). The exact national subheading and applied tariff should be confirmed in Korea’s tariff schedule for the specific product and origin.
What is the biggest compliance blocker when importing sake into South Korea?The biggest blocker is regulatory noncompliance—particularly if the importer does not hold the required liquor import business license or fails MFDS imported-food safety prerequisites such as importer and overseas manufacturing facility registration where applicable. This can stop clearance or lead to detention and delays.
Why is date and lot traceability important for sake sold in South Korea?Korean labeling standards include category-specific date marking rules for alcoholic beverages, and sake is explicitly called out in MFDS labeling standards. Having clear date/lot coding and importer traceability helps avoid relabeling problems and supports faster response if a quality or safety issue requires a recall.

Sources

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